Submissions

Why should I submit to Mirror Mountain?

1. A free festival pass for all filmmakers who submit
Everyone who submits their film to Mirror Mountain, regardless of whether or not it is selected, gets a free pass to attend the entire festival.

2. It’s free to submit for local filmmakers
Films of any length and genre can be submitted for free if they were shot and/or edited within a 125 km radius of Ottawa. This area includes Gatineau, Maniwaki, Mont Tremblant, Montebello, Hawkesbury, Cornwall, Potsdam, Brockville, Smiths Falls, Perth, Renfrew, Arnprior and more.

3. Free submissions for alumni
If you directed a film that was officially selected in a previous edition of Mirror Mountain, you can submit again at no cost. Contact the festival to find out how to make an alumni submission.

4. Your money back
If your film is selected to play in the festival, we’ll pay you back your original submission fee.

5. We pay screening fees
In addition to reimbursing your submission fee, if your film is selected, we will also give you a small fee to thank you for letting us screen your work.

6. Fewer restrictions
There are no premiere or date-of-completion requirements. Your film is still eligible even if it has screened in the Ottawa region before. You are still eligible to submit if your film has distribution, has been broadcast on television, or is available to view online.

7. You’ll be kept in the loop
We will email you shortly after you submit to confirm we’ve received your application. Later, you’ll receive a notification informing you of the results, regardless of whether or not your film was selected.

8. Great awards for winning filmmakers
We celebrate filmmaking talent and recognize people in our community who create exceptional work with awards given out in several categories. Award winners receive a variety of great prizes donated by our sponsors.

9. A friendly and alternative atmosphere
Our next festival will take place at Arts Court, downtown Ottawa’s hub for film, visual art, music, theatre and dance, and a meeting place for people from diverse artistic and cultural backgrounds.

All prices listed in USD. Submission fees are non-refundable. Waivers or discounts on submission fees are not offered.

A short film is defined as any film less than 20 minutes in length, including credits.
A medium-length film is defined as any film between20 and 60 minutes in length, including credits.
A feature-length film is defined as any film longer than 60 minutes in length, including credits.

Film submissions of any length are free if your film was shot and/or edited within 125 km of Ottawa.

Every submitting filmmaker, regardless of whether their work is selected or not, automatically receives a free pass to attend the festival.

The festival welcomes submissions from diverse filmmakers from all backgrounds, including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirited and non-binary filmmakers, Indigenous and First Nations filmmakers, persons with disabilities, and diasporic and transcultural filmmakers.

Submissions are reviewed by a volunteer jury of experienced filmmakers arts and culture professionals. Visit our About page for more information.

Film submissions of any length are free if your film was shot and/or edited within 125 km of Ottawa. You may be asked to provide documentation supporting your claim.

– Submission fees are non-refundable.
– Waivers or discounts on submission fees are not offered.
– Films may originate from anywhere in the world.
– You may submit multiple films in a single year, but you must pay the full submission fee for each film.
– Mirror Mountain does not accept submissions sent by email or physical submissions sent by post.
– Mirror Mountain is not responsible for improperly functioning preview copies/screeners.
– Mirror Mountain is under no obligation to watch updated screeners. The jury will only review submissions once.
– Do not send a press kit or other supporting materials unless asked to do so by the festival.
– All submitted films must be in English or accompanied by English subtitles.
– There are no premiere requirements. Your film may have screened in the Ottawa region before.
– There are no date-of-completion requirements. Your film can be dated from any year.
– Films that have distribution, have been broadcast on television, or are available to view online, are still eligible for submission.
– You must be the copyright holder of the film and its soundtrack, or have obtained permission to use copyrighted materials in any part of your work. You may be asked to supply documentation supporting your claim. Works that consist of parody, satire and critical review are excepted under Canadian copyright law.
– Mirror Mountain reserves the right not to select any material they deem inappropriate for any reason.
– Mirror Mountain reserves the right to remove any film from the festival lineup at any time.

All submitting filmmakers will be notified of the results of the jury’s decisions by June 27th 2019. If selected, you will be expected to submit a high-quality Quicktime H.264 file as your screening copy by no later than July 12th 2019 or your film may not be screened. Filmmakers are responsible for ensuring that their Quicktime file is in good working order.

Submit

Submissions are only accepted through the following platforms:

Local films that were shot and/or edited within 125 km of Ottawa should only be submitted via our Local Submission Form.